Ultralite Vs. Experimental aircraft?

Question

what makes an aircraft an ultralite and what makes one experimental

Answer 1

Title 14: Aeronautics and Space
PART 103—ULTRALIGHT VEHICLES
Subpart A—General

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§ 103.1 Applicability.

This part prescribes rules governing the operation of ultralight vehicles in the United States. For the purposes of this part, an ultralight vehicle is a vehicle that:

(a) Is used or intended to be used for manned operation in the air by a single occupant;

(b) Is used or intended to be used for recreation or sport purposes only;

(c) Does not have any U.S. or foreign airworthiness certificate; and

(d) If unpowered, weighs less than 155 pounds; or

(e) If powered:

(1) Weighs less than 254 pounds empty weight, excluding floats and safety devices which are intended for deployment in a potentially catastrophic situation;

(2) Has a fuel capacity not exceeding 5 U.S. gallons;

(3) Is not capable of more than 55 knots calibrated airspeed at full power in level flight; and

(4) Has a power-off stall speed which does not exceed 24 knots calibrated airspeed.

Answer 2

an ultralight and experimental are the same and different too.

an ultralight is an experimental that weighs less than 254lb, flies less than 68kts, and has less than 5 gallons in the fuel tank.

an experimental is pretty much an ultralight that has higher performance than above. They can get pretty extreme, some even have 650hp and cruise at 350mph. Burt rutan built a 200hp experimental that flew around the world nonstop.

The main difference as far as the EAA is concerned is that the experimental requires a registration number and the ultralight does not require one, but can if it needs to fly out of any controlled airport.
They are both very easy to comply with, you pretty much show them that the plane is airworthy and they give you a number. thats it. No fancy crap like a cessna would need.

Answer 3

Ultralite and most experimental aircraft are both covered under the LSA, (Light sport aircraft) rules, these days the pilot needs to log about 20 hours and take a check ride in a LSA certified aircraft.

Answer 4

From this and other questions you have asked; I think it is important to tell you to go to the FAA regulations FAA.GOV and look up the definitions of aircraft class and category yourself for self enlightenment. Also get involved with the Experimental Aircraft Association and similar organizations that have an interest in the Ultralight operations and the safety thereof. You are obviously in need of being further educated in these matters before you kill yourself or harm others.

Answer 5

Daniel - It sounds like your idea is large in the seems branch, yet might want to correctly be a touch lacking technically. even with each and every thing, the first requirement of an airplane should be that that's able to flight. in preserving with some issues i understand in that section, i do not imagine that this can be a layout that would want to fly safely. in fact, i imagine that's possibly inherently risky. Now, granted, there are fighter airplane that use fly-through-wire to regulate airplane that are in the different case risky at particular flight circumstances. yet they're designed that thanks to reduce drag and develop performance; your configuration might want to have the option result. do not get discouraged, yet you should purchase a e book on elementary aerodynamics, then - again to the drafting board! extra: a short note - i'm no longer giggling at nor belittling your idea. even with the indisputable fact that the Wright Brothers did fairly some exertions earlier they were given to a real layout. human beings laughed even once that they had performed each and every of the paintings - in fact they laughed once that they had flown. All i'm saying is to do the homework. Aerodynamics isn't paintings, that's physics. And physics has regulations that won't be able to be violated in simple terms because you want some thing to seem a particular way. best of luck - do not quit dreaming.

Answer 6

An ultra lite useually comes in a kit form and a experimental plane is built from scratch.

Answer 7

Not 100% on this as I have never had anything to do with ultralights (except trying not to hit them). But I think it is something like:
-Less than 5 Gallons of fuel
-Less than 100HP (exception for trainers)
-Can't exceed 75KTS
If it is more than those parameters but unregistered (not FAA complient) it would be an experimental.

Answer 8

Check with FAA on that one. I'm not sure just what the cutoff is. I do know that experimental ac are much closly monitored by FAA although they aren't monitored as close as real airplanes. Pops